Covering apparatus



April 6, 1937, T. HARRIS 2,075,269

A COVERING APPARATUS Filed Aug; 22, 1934 s sheets-sheet 1 s BY A TTORNEYS.

April 6, 1937. T. HARRIS 2,076,269

covERING APPARATUS Filed Aug'. 22, 1934' :s shets-sheet 2 INVENTOR. 7% -niveaus' ,Va/fis @wg WS.

April 6, 1937. T. HARRIS 2,07%6269 covERING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 22, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet' 3 INVENTOR. ,ta/27a@ /yavfs WMM@ ATTORNEYS.

Patented pr. 1937 PATENT OFFICE COVERING APPARATUS Thomas Harris, Providence, R. I., assignor to Harris Textile Machinery Corporation, a corporation of Rhode Island Application August 22,

15 Claims.

This invention relates to a covering apparatus,

and has for one of its objects the covering of a core or filament with untwisted fibers wrapped helically about the core.

Another object of the invention is the delivery of a wrapping material to a core and controlling the amount and size of the material to be wrapped `with reference to the advancing and rotating movement of the core vso as to control many factors with reference to the character of the wrap required. 1

Another object of the invention is to control the width of the wrapping material throughthe control of the amount which is delivered to the core at the point of wrapping.

Another object of the invention is to control the tension applied to the covering by the speed with which the Wrapping material is delivered to the core at the point of wrapping.

Another object of the invention is to control the tension on an elastic core, such as a core of soft elastic by means of a differential drive so that the tension may be varied with reference to the rotative movement of the core about `its own axis of feed.

Another object of the invention is to control the delivery of the wrapping material so as to govern how tight it shall be wound upon the core, this factor varying with reference to the circum-A ference of the core upon which the material is to be wrapped. l

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain' novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional view illustrating the principal parts of the apparatus and their relations one to the other;

40 ure 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view the flier head;

Fig. 4 is an end View illustrating the gearing arrangement for the differential driveA of the ilier head;

Fig. 5 is a view along the line of Figure 1 of a modied arrangement of the apparatus; and

Y Fig. 6 is a view of the core which has been covered in the apparatus.

In covering apparatus, I have found that it is frequently desirable to control the width as well as the amount of the covering material which is -to be helically wound upon a core; and in such connection, I have used an apparatus as disclosed on a larger scale of particularly pointed out in the appended claims.'

Fig. 2 is a `sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig- 1934, Serial No. 740,955 (Cl. 117-40) in my Patents 1,922,549 or 1,922,950, by which I may deliver untwisted fibers in the size desired, and by rotating a core in adjacency to the delivery end of such apparatus, I may wrap this material about the c ore, and by the use of this spinning unit, I may so nicely control the delivery as to speed and amount of the material to be wrapped about the core that I may place on the corethe desired covering.

And in addition to this spinning apparatus, I have developed a diiierential control for the feed of core with reference to its rotation by which I I nay not only rotate the core on its own axis, but I may feed it at varying speeds with reference to such rotation by which I may additionally control and secure the desired character of wrapping which I desire; and the following is a more detailed description of the present embodiment of the invention, illustrating the preferred means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished:

With reference to the drawings, in Figure 1, I have designated at I0 a spinning unit substantially as shown in my above mentioned patents. Gearing is provided as shown in these Vpatents (see Figure 3 of Patent No. 1,922,949) for driving and varying the drive of the independent deck units and rolls thereon so as to govern the amount of reduction and speed of delivery of a sliver designated at its upper end I I and at its delivery end as I 2 to form the covering material to be wrapped about a core I3. By reason of the delivery rolls I4 of my unit I0 being xed, no twist additional to that already existing in the sliver II is placed in by the unit I0, and as this sliver 3 II is substantially untwisted, the material I2 is substantially untwisted as it is delivered from the rolls I4. The width of the sliver for wrapping is controlled by setting the drawing apparatus to deliver the desired amount of covering material. Should the amount or width of the cover be desired to be wider I may either change the bevel gears 9, 9 to reduce the speed of the delivery rolls, or I may change the pitch o'f the spiral gears 8, 8' to increase the speed of the receiving rolls, or I may do both; while the other drafts may be changed if desired by changing the gear ratio of the unit shown in Fig. 3 of my Patent No.

1,922,949, above mentioned (for examplelthe gear 39 of this Patent No. 1,922,949 at the end of its swinging arm).

The core I3 is packaged in a carrier frame which I designate generally as I5, and is shown in Figure 1 and on an enlarged scale in Figure 3. With reference to this Figure 3, a support I 6 is shown providing a bearing ill in which a sleeve it is rotatably mounted.\ This sleeve i@ has fixed thereto a gear' i9 by means of a key i2@ at one end, while a gear 2i is formed as a part of the sleeve at the .other end thereof. Rotatably mounted within this sleeve is the hub 222 having a gear 23 formed at `one end thereof, this hub 22 being rotatable with reference to and independent of the sleeve I8. At the other end of the hub 22 there is a shaft 2d which is fixed to the hub .22 to rotate therewith, and upon this shaft 2d I have mounted a spool 25 of a package t of they core material I3. Il'his package is held against the shoulder 2l on the shaft @d by a springii acting through washer 2Q, the tension of which spring may be adjusted by means of a nut ed threaded onto the reduced portion 3i of an extension of the shaft 2&3, the entire package is enclosed withina cylinder 32 which is secured to a disc 33 fixed onto the hub 22 by means of a set screw 33.`

A pair of feed rolls 3:3, 35 are mounted to turn in fixed bearings 36 secured on the gear 23. 'Ihese rolls nip the core and rotate about their own axes in the bearings 3d and are turned bodily on the line of travel of the core i3 as a ce'nter by rotation of gear 23, thus feeding and at the same time revolving the core. In order that these rolls 3d and dmay be driven, I have provided a worm gear 3l upon the end of a shaft of the roll 3S and a worm 38 engaging this worm gear, which is provided with a shaft t@ extending through the gear 23 and provided with a spur gear dil engaging the gear 2i on ythe sleeve I8, thus a relative movement between the sleeve I8 and the hub 22 will cause rotation of the feed rolls 3d and 35.

The carrier frame I5, as a whole, is turned by a, gear il engaging gear 23 to drive the hub 22 and the package and its housing cylinder 32. This gear di is mounted on shaft i2 which is driven by any suitable means as di', which also drives the spinning unit I0. The gear i@ is also driven from shaft d2 through gear d3, gear liti, shaft d5, and gear lll, which latter gear lil meshes with gear i9 secured to the sleeve id through which the drive for the feed rolls is accomplished. The gear dit may be changed to provide a different ratio so that the sleeve It and hub 22 will be driven at' different relative speeds to afford the desired feed to the rolls 36 and 35.

These feed rolls 3d and 35 .draw the core @3g through the guide tube 50 mounted within the cylinder'` 32 and extending through the hollow portion of hub 22 to feed the core I3 .axially along the center of the carrier frame. As it -emerges from the feed rolls i3, the core may pass through a tank 5I provided with a brush 52 to apply an adhesive thereto, or to perform' other desired operation upon the core. It then passes through a guide 53 on one side of the point of delivery of the covering material I2 and then after covered, through guide 54. On the other side of the covering material I2 and the covered core is taken up by a set of feed rolls 5B which 'are a part of the carrier frame designated generally 58 and which is of' substantially duplicate construction to the carrier just described, so far as the differential feed and rotation thereofv are concerned. A package '60., howevernis not car. ried by the carrier 58, but it is rather mounted upon a shaft 6I held against spring 62 by a nut 63. This shaft is mounted in a standard 64 which is a part of a slide $5 and reciprocated aoraaee bodily by means of a cam 66 driven through beveled gears dll and t8 from a suitable source of power and engaging the follower roll lli, the entire slide being operated in the base dii so as to traverse the package t@ with reference to the delivery tube lil through which the covered material is passed.

In feeding a rubber core through the apparatus, I will drive the feed rolls 56 at a speed greater than the feed rolls dil and 35 so as to provide a stretch and tension upon the core as it is fed, the ratio being something as two to one so as to provide a stretch and a greater delivery in yardage than that supplied, which may be readily accomplished by my 'differential drive for each of the carrier units. I

When covering a rubber core, it is desirable that there be a differential drive for each set of feed rolls; however, where a non-elastic core is to be covered, such for instance as wire, I may use a modified form of apparatus, such as I have shown in Figure 5. In this showing in Figure 5, a spinning unit as before mentioned is designated I il, with the parts thereof indicated by corresponding reference characters in this figure. The carrier frames, however, are different as is also the drive for one of the carriers. One carrier frame in this modified construction is designated generally l5 and consists of a suitable base i6 mounted upon a driven gear lll. From this base i6 there extend outwardly arms lil and fd provided with the xed center 8i and movable center 82 between which there is mounted the core packageil. 'I'his movable center is resiliently pressed by means of a helical spring B3 operated through a. handle portion 04 and slidable through an enlarged bearing d5. The core material t@ is' packaged upon the spool du and drawn therefrom through the hollow center of the hub 8l! of the gear I8 which is rotatably mounted in the bearing 88 at the upper end of support 89.

'Ihe other carrier upon which the covered material is packaged, consists of a frame-like structure 9@ having a trimnion rotatably mounted in bearing 9i on L-shaped arm 92 and a sleevelike hub rotatably mounted in bearing 93 supported by the standard 9d. This carrier frame has mounted therein a packaging spool 95 mounted upon the driven center B and held in position by the movable center el, which latter is of duplicate construction of the center 82, above described. Within this carrier frame there are a pair of feed rolls 08 `suitably mounted upon shafts 99 and a traverse motion designated generally Illu, bth of which feed rolls and traverse motion are driven through spiral gears I0@ and 8d2 from the shaft 03 which in turn is driven by gear i045 as the carrier frame moves relative to the gear 05. The packaging spool 95 is driven through pulley I 06 from pulley E01 on shaft 99 by belt I08 for rotating the driven center 06 which has locking engagement` with.' the spool 95'. 'I'he belt will slip on pulley |06 as the size of the package increases.

A drive shaft |00 is mounted in bearings in the).

standards d land 94, and through gear IIO engaging the gear l1 drives the carrier 15. The frame 90 is also driven from shaft |09 by means of gear lII engaging gear II2 which is fixed to .the hub of frame 90. In order that there may be a, differential drive for the packaging mechanism with. reference to the rotation of the frame, gear is mounted on a hollow shaft I I3 through which the work passed and which is rotatably mounted within the hub of the carrier frame, and on this hollow shaftthere is mounted a gear H4 which meshes through a train of gears similar to that illustrated in Figure 4 connected with a gear H5 secured to shaft |09 and by suitable change gear mechanism, as described in connection with the train of gears shown in Figure 4, I permit of variation in the drive with reference to the rotation oi the carrier frame. This shaft H19 is driven from any suitable power, such as gear H5 mounted thereon, or from any other suitable source when deriving the power desired.

By the use of my spinning apparatus, I may control the untwisted delivered fibers bth as to the quantity vof delivered fibers so as to control the width of the ribbon which is wrapped around the core, and I may also control the speed of the delivery of the covering material so that it willbe wrapped on the core with more or less tension, as desired. Also, by regulating the speed of advancing of the core, I may regulate the amount of lap of each of the wrappings which is to be had, and may also by regulating the speed of rotative movement of the core about its path of travel regulate the quantity and wrapping, and thus by these various controls I may determine the character of the covering which I place on the core which has heretofore not been possible to such controlled extent with untwisted fibers.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

1. In a covering apparatus, a pair of carrier frames each having feed rollsmeans for driving the carrier frames at the same rotative speeds and means for driving the feed rolls of the heads at different feeding speeds, whereby to tensio the core of the covered material.

2. In a covering apparatus, a pair of carrier frames., eachhaving feed rolls, means for driving the carrier frames at the same rotative speeds and means for driving the feed rolls of the heads at different feeding speeds, whereby to tension the core of the covered material, and change gears for adjusting the feed with reference to the rotation of the carrier frame upon which the feed rolls are mounted.

3. The method of controlling a covering for a. core, which consists in drawing the covering and without twisting delivering it to the core and helically Winding it thereon by axial and rotative movement of both ends of the core, and governing the width of delivery of the drawn covering.

4. The method of covering a corewhich consists in delivering a narrow strip of untwisted fibers to the core and winding the same thereon by axial and rotative movement of kboth ends of the core, and governing the width of each wrap by the amount delivered.

5. The method of covering a core, which consists in delivering a narrow strip of untwisted fibers to the core and Winding the same thereon by axial and rotative movement of bothends of p the core, governing the width of each wrap -by the amount delivered, and utilizinga differential drive for turning and advancing the core to be covered.

64 In combination with means for feeding a filament to be covered, means for rotating both said strip about said core solely by the rotativemovement of the core. A

8. In a covering apparatus, a pair of rolls for feeding and a pair of rolls for taking up a filament to be covered, means including a differential drive connection for revolving said rolls about the filament as an axis and` rotating the rolls for feeding the filament, and means including al differential drive connection for revolving said take up rolls about the filament as an axis and rotating said rolls for taking up the filament. i 9. In a covering apparatus, a pair of rolls for feeding and a pair of rolls for taking up a filament to be covered, means for rotating said filament aboutv its path of travel as an axis, means for rotating said delivery rolls, and means for rotating the'take-up rolls faster than said delivery rolls in a definite positive relation.

10. In a covering apparatus, a carrier having a supply package of filament therein at one side of said apparatus and a carrier having a delivery package for assembling the covered lament at the other side of said apparatus. means for feeding a filament from said supply package and means for delivering said filament to said delivery package and -at the same time stretching it, a supply of covering material, and means for rotating said packages and feeding means'to rotate said filament and wrap the covering material thereon.

11. In a covering apparatus, a carrier having a supply package of filament therein at one side of said apparatus, a carrier having a delivery package for assembling the covered package at the other side of said apparatua means for feeding a filament from said supply. package and means for delivering said filament to said delivery package and at the same time stretching it, a supply of covering material, means for rotating said packages and feeding means to rotate said filament and wrap the covering material thereon,-

andtraverse meansfor laying' the covered filament on said delivery package.

12. The method of forming a covered elastic"` yarn which consists 'in wrapping relatively nontwisted fibers in a helical path about an elastic core by turning both ends of the core so as to so coherently/arrange the fibers as to limit the extension of the core.

13. The method of covering the core whichr consists in delivering non-twisted fibers to an advancing core of elastic material at substantially right angles thereto and turning both ends of the core to assemble the fibers thereon in a helical path.

4- aereas@ and at auarge angle thereto whereby the rotation of the'lament rolls the strap material thereon,

-anci spaced guides adjacent either side of the position of the delivery of the covering to the filament for maintaining said filament in position.

THOMAS HARRIS.l 

